In these tough economic times it is a relief to share some good news about funding for Georgia school systems. On November 4, every school system in the state was invited to apply for over $2.5 million in federal funding to clean up dirty diesel school buses.

Diesel exhaust poses the most widespread air pollution risk in the United States. Exhaust from school bus and other diesel engines is a toxic mixture of tiny fine particles and gases (soot) including over 40 air toxins. Fine particles in the exhaust are linked to many respiratory problems including asthma attacks and possible asthma onset. When inhaled, these tiny particles bypass our upper respiratory defenses and can travel into our bloodstream causing abnormal heart rhythms, heart attack, stroke and even premature death.

Everyone is at risk but all children and people living or working close to sources of diesel exhaust, such as bus drivers and teachers, are among the most vulnerable. Children with respiratory or heart problems are at even greater risk, including the 12% in Georgia living with asthma. In addition to triggering an attack in a child with asthma, diesel exhaust also can stunt lung function growth even in healthy children.

Because of these serious threats, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tightened emissions standards for 2007 and newer diesel bus and truck engines by more than 90%. However, millions of old, dirtier diesel engines remain on the road. Just as truck fleet turnover has slowed due to the economic downturn, the lives of dirty school buses have been extended by cash-strapped school systems whose state funding for bus replacement has been cut.

Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division (EPD) recognizes the special vulnerability of children and has prioritized pollution control devices for school buses in its use of federal air quality funding. Since 2005, more than 1700 Georgia school buses have been retrofitted with devices that significantly reduce the health threat to students. With state funding for school bus replacement drying up, it is more important than ever that Georgia’s school systems take advantage of federal funding to clean up their aging fleets.

Twenty-four Georgia school districts have taken advantage of school bus cleanup funding over the past 6 years, and some are moving as quickly as possible to ensure no child has to ride on a dirty bus.

When Cherokee County School District (CCSD) hired a new transportation director a few years ago, Mr. Johnson immediately saw the value of reducing bus pollution and applied for and received a grant that paid for state-of-the-art filters on 44 buses.  With strong parent support CCSD made a commitment to a 100% clean fleet in its next strategic plan, stating it would  “continue to seek grant funding to retrofit all buses to meet or exceed 2007 emissions standards.”

In early 2010 Barrow County Schools (BCS) used federal funding to retrofit all eligible buses in its fleet with highly effective filters that reduce soot by as much as 85%. But, about one-third of the buses were too old to be good candidates. Understanding the harmful effects of diesel soot on children, BCS chose to pass a $1.8 million bond to replace the oldest and dirtiest buses in its fleet, and it remains committed to pursuing other funding sources until every bus is clean.

Our children deserve a safe and healthy ride to school. Georgia parents can play a big role in persuading busy school administrators to apply for funding that covers 100% of the cost of pollution control devices for their school buses. Find out if your school system is planning to apply for the funding available right now through EPD, and make sure your child’s bus is not “left behind.”

Rebecca Watts Hull
Director of Mothers & Others for Clean Air
(Atlanta-based air quality education and advocacy nonprofit)

Anne Blair
Clean Fuels Director for Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
(Regional nonprofit promoting responsible energy choices)

Editor's Note: Forsyth County Schools has not participated in the grant program in terms of retrofitting buses, but did apply for funding once, according to Hull.